Rotary refiner



Sept. 4, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 25, 1948 Zgg/m; fM/w/f 727]?,E

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ROTARY REFINER sept! 4, 1951 Filed Feb. 25, 194s 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 iSept. 4, 1951 E. P. ARPIN, JR 2,566,869

ROTARY REFINER Filed Feb. 25, 194e s sheets-sheet s Patented Sept. 4,195.1

UNITED S TATES PAT ENIT F FICE 2,566,869 Rom-RY Rennen p Edmund P.Arpin, Jr.,` Neenah, Wis;A Application Febiiiary 25', 194s, serial N6.16,626

This invention relatesI to improvements in rotors for rotary machineswhich are used totrene Wet, fibrous material, such as pulp, paper stockand the like. U

In my copend'ing applications for patent U. s. Serial No. 640,734, filedJanuary 12, 1946, n'ovv Patent 2,475,869, and U. S; Serial No". 568,513,filed December 16, 1944, novv Patent 2,451,708-, I have described andclaimed rotary refiners Wherein a plurality of rotor refining elementsare ro-` tated Within an abrasive lined cylindrical shell for coactioriwith the abrasive lining in the refining of iibrous material. Thepresent application has to do with improvements in rotor construc= tionand mounting for such renning machines.

Heretofore', rotors used in' rening machines have been so constructedand arranged that replacement of the outer Wearing portion necessitatedthe dismantling of the entire rotorz assembly. A further disadvantage ofrotors heretofore supplied in reiining machines has been the tendency ofthe rotor stone to fracture under temperature variations du'e to therigidity ofthe rotor mount'- ing and to the many pressurek concentrationpoints on the stone causedl by the mounting. The fact that the stone andthe metal rotor housing have different expansion coeficients also tendsto` cause fractures in the stone.

In accordance with my present invention a plu"- rality of rotor stonesare each resiliently secured in a backing plate which is pivotallymounted in a housing attached to the rotating shaft of the reiiningmachine. The resilient mounting exerts a' constant compressive forcewhich is applied against the stone through a pressure .pad which extendsbetween the mounting and the stone across substantially the entire widthof the stone. The resilient mounting and the pressure distrib utingfeatures of my invention greatly reduce the possibility of fracture ofthe stone during operation.

The mounting of the present invention is fastened to the stone at theouter marginal portion thereof adjacent the material processing surface.Thus, in rening machines employing a series of rotor assembliespositioned adjacent eachother on the shaft of the machine, the stone ofeach rotor may be replaced Without' disturbing adjacent rotors. The timeduring which a machine is shut down for repair and maintenance isthusgreatly decreased by the novel mounting` of invention.

It is therefore' an object of the present invention to supply a mountingfor a rening element in a rotor assembly which may be quickly and easilyremoved from or inserted into the backing p1ate of' the rotorasseiiibiywitheut disturbing adjacent rotor assemblies.

Another `obieet or this invention is te provide a resilient mounting forrefining @rement er a rotor' assembly. i

A further object of thisinvention teprovide'a a mounting in which thepressures exerted by the cramping' means are uniformly distributed overa largeA area of the reiiningf element;

Gtlie'r and further' importantobje'ts-, features and advantagesothisinventiori-Will lie apparent to one skilled" in the" art from tlidisclosures in the specification and the adfior'npatrry'iiig' drawings:

Figure 1 is '2t longitudinal elevational viewof a rotary Ie'fllrnei"liibo'dying the pfri ciples of` iiry invention, with parts broken avvayJand in section, and with other parts' in elevation Figure 2 is anenlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially airing the lineiiii6r' Figure I With parts in elevation? Figure 3' is an enlargedfragmentary elevations; view of a rotor assemtiy-disctnnected from therefining machine'.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a rotor assetirbiy dis#- connected from therefining machine; :and

Figure 5* is an er'id elevational view ofa rotor assembly. l

As shown on the diaWrigSi In Figure' l," the reference-numeraltindicates generally a rotary rener embodying the' pri-ri'- ciples of myinvention, ineluding a generally eylindrical shellr casing H Whi'el-r issupported normally horiZIita position suitable Slipports` I2. ThesliellH is1 provided vvitli endl plates I'3- and i4, thee'rid pla-te F3 atthelinlet etui-ef the machinehavi'g inlet periilg l5, and tlieqlte l4 attle` discharge erid havng"-a dischargeope'iiing I6. Each end plate` isoutwardly di'shed and provided with ati-central bess d ing a cent'alOpening for r'civig.-

bearing relation, a holloW shaft i9. Said shaft isi adztpteclZ` to bero'- cated` centrally' the cas g! l-fby al grooved pulley 20. DisposedWilt tlie- (lished portion of the inlet end plate le and secured to theshaft is an impeller nier'nbei 2 l1 which'. receives the material as itenters the` inlet opening? t5 and directs it toward its periphery' for'subsequent passage be'- tween the Working surfaces of? the reiiningmachine.

The Shelli l-i ispr'ovded internally with a liner 22, composed ot anumber of ring sections 23 which are formed of' suitable abrasivematerial, suchas stone,- metal or a' synthetic ceramic of an abrasivetype.`

As best seen in Figure 2A, a series of equi-spaced rotated, the rotormoves outwardly by cent'rifu-` gal force causing the refining elementto. coact with the abrasive surface of` the liner ring 23 to refine thenbrous material as it is moved vbe tween the refining surfaces by theaction of the impeller 2l and by the pressure head under which thematerial delivered to the inletopening.

A linkage 3l is associated with yeachV rotor assembly to maintain aminimum clearance at all times between the surface of the refiningelement and the abrasive surface of the liner ring 23. This linkage,which is pivotally mounted to the Vbacking plate 28 and to the box-likehousing 29, has a push rod 33 pivoted from one end and extending throughan opening in the hollow shaft `I9. A series of wedgelike members 35 aredisposed on telescoping rods 36 extending longitudinally inside theshaft I9. The position of each rod 36 in the shaft may be adjusted fromthe outside of the casing through an adjusting member 31. The innerl endof each rod 33 is in contact with the face of one of the wedge-likemembers 35 and, thus, the position of the members 35 determines theextent of outward pivoting of the rotor assembly25. 1

A leaf spring 39 is secured between the backing plate 28 and the linkage3l to prevent the rotor elements lfrom dropping `away from the abrasivelining, as otherwisewould voccur in the case of the uppermost rotorelement while the refiner is in motion. i f

Further details of construction and operation of a reningmachine towhich my novel rotor construction and mounting may be applied, may behad by reference to mycopending application lU. S. Serial No. 640,734,filed January 12, 1946, now Patent 2,475,869.

Referring to Figure 3, the backing plate 28 comprises a substantiallyflat central portion 31 l having an upstanding lbearing block 38 onwhich the linkage 3| isl pivoted. AAtthe trailing end of the backingplate, an overhanging ledge 4U extends across theplate forming a heelagainst which the corresponding portion ofl the stone 21 Vis pressedwhen the rotor isy assembled.

At both sides of the plate v23 a wall portion 4l extends downwardly toprovide a recessed chamber 42, Figure 5, which is adapted to receive, inguiding relation, a similarly formed strip 43 projecting upwardly'on thestone 21. Y v

An upstanding bearing block 44 is provided at each side of the leadingend of the backing plate for receiving the pin 30 on which the rotorassembly is pivoted. Cut-out portions 45 are provided in the block 44 toreceive, in countersunk position, the cotter pins or other securingmeans used to retain the pivot pin 30 in position.

A plurality of clamping `members l ,are provided for holding the,refining elements 21 in place against the backing plates28. Each clamp,-ing member 5l comprises a bolt155 mounted ina `slanted passageway v55the. rear portion of the backing plate 28. A coil spring 51 is disposedrbolt against a rocker member 66 which is loosely disposed on the boltwith its arm portions extending outwardly. One rounded arm portion 61:is seated in a segmental spherical socket 68 formed in a pressure pad69 while the other arm is arranged to seat in a socket 10 of the backingplate 23. The pressure pad 69 extends across the refining element 21 anduniformly distributes the pressure exerted by the clamping means.

It is therefore evident that tightening of the nut 65 on the bolt 55causes the rocker member to pivot in the recess 10, pressing the arm 61against the pressure pad 69. Thus, a compres-V sive force is applied tothe refining element 21 causing it to be firmly pressed upwardly in therecessed chamber 42 and forwardly against the heel 40 of the backingplate 28.

The surfaces of the refining element 21 that are in contact with thebacking plate 28 and the pressure pad 65 will ordinarily be smooth andaccurate. However, a cushioning material 13, such as rubber, soft metalalloy or plastic may be positioned between the surfaces.

. lt is to be understood that as many clamping members may be used as isrequired by the size of the rotor assembly.

A cotter pin 1| is secured in the threaded end of the bolt 53 to preventthe nut from working loose from the bolt during operation of therefining machine. A cap screw 12 passes freely through an opening in thearm B1 and is threaded into the pressure pad B9. The head of the capscrew 12 is spaced from the arm S1 when the arm is in locked positionagainst the pressure pad 69. Thus, the cap screw 12 loosely secures thepressure pad to the arm 61 and, when the clamping members are loosened,the pressure pad will be prevented from falling loose from the assembly.o To facilitate the removal of the refining element 21 from the backingplate 28, there is provided a tapped hole 15 in the heel 4D of theplate. By threading a stud into this hole when the clamping elementshave been removed from the assembly, the refining element may be quicklyand easily forced out of position in the rotor assembly.

From the foregoing description it is seen that there is provided in thisinvention a resilient, adjustable mounting for a refining element in arotor assembly.

This resilient mounting will automatically absorb shocks due to changesin temperature and other variable operating conditions. It is also seenthat, by providing the clamping means at the outer marginal portion ofthe rotor assembly Vthe width of the refining element provides meansVfor uniformly distributing the pressure exerted by the clampingmeans onthe refining element.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention: y

1. In a rotary renner, a rotor assembly comprising a metal backingplate, a stone refining element positioned in said backing plate, andmeans including a spring-pressed rocker arm pivotally mounted on saidbacking plate for holding said element in said backing plate, said meansserving to distribute more evenly the retaining pressure against saidstone reiining element.

2. In a rotary rener, a rotor assembly comprising a backing plate, arefining element positioned in said backing plate, and means including aspring-pressed rocker arm and a pressure pad spaced from said backingplate and between said element and said rocker arm for holding saidelement in said backing plate.

" 3, In a rotary renner, a rotor assembly comprising a metal backingplate, a stone refining element secured in said backing plate, and levermeans operable on the outer marginal portion of said element foradjusting said element in said backing plate, said lever means includinga pad to distribute more evenly the retaining pressure against saidstone refining element.

4. In a rotary renner including a plurality of rotors assembled adjacenteach other on a common shaft, a metal rotor assembly comprising abacking plate, a stone refining element positioned in said backingplate, and adjustable means associated with the outer marginal surfaceof Said backing plate and said relining element for adjusting theposition of said element in said backing plate without disassembling theadjacent rotor assembly, said means serving to distribute more evenlythe retaining pressure against said stone rening element.

5. In a rotary renner, a rotor assembly coinprising a metal backingplate, a stone refining element positioned in said backing plate, andanadjustable spring-pressed rocker arm pivoted at one end on the outersurface of said backing plate and at the other end on the outer surfaceof said refining element for urging said refining element into positionon said backing plate, said rocker arm having at its end adjacent theouter surface of the refining element a pad serving to distribute moreevenly the retaining pressure against said stone refining element.

6. In a rotary renner, a rotor assembly comprising a metal backingplate, a stone refining element positioned in said backing plate,resilient cushioning means disposed between said backing plate and saidelement and spring loaded means for holding said element in said backingplate, said resilient cushioning means and said springloaded meanscoacting to distribute more evenly the retaining pressure against saidstone renning element.

7. In a rotary rener, a rotor assembly comprising a backing plate havinga recessed portion with walls on three sides thereof, a refining elementpositioned in said recessed portion of said backing plate, a cushioningpad in. said recessed portion between said refining element and saidbacking plate and spring-pressed lever means operable on said elementfor adjustably holding said element in said recessed portion, saidcushioning pad and said spring-pressed level1 means coacting todistribute more evenly the retaining pressure against said refiningelement.

8. In a rotary refiner, a rotor assembly comprising a backing plateincluding a recessed portion deiined by overhanging iianges, slantedpassageways near the leading edge of said rotor assembly, and upstandingbearing portions for connection to the drive mechanism of the refiner, arefining element movable into said recessed portion against .Caidoverhanging flanges having a generally arcuate processing surface and aflat portion extending across the leading edge, a pressure padpositioned on said flat portion, and spring-pressed clamping meansdisposed in the slanted passageways of said backing plate having arocker member pivotecl at one end on said backing plate and bearing atthe other end against said pressure pad for pressing said element intothe recessed portion of said backing plate.

9. In a rotary renner, a rotor assembly comprising a metal backing platehaving a recessed portion defined on three sides by overhanging flanges,and having, near the leading edge of the plate, an indented socketportion and a plurality of slanted passageways, a stone rening elementmovable into the recessed portion of the backing plate, a pressure padassociated with the leading edge of said refining element and having aspherical socket on one surface thereof cushioning material between saidrefining element and said backing plate and between said pressure padand said refining element, and clamping means including a rocker armpivoted at one end in the socket portion of said backing plate andengaging at the. other end the spherical socket portion of said pressurepad, said cushioning material and said pressure pad coacting todistribute more evenly the retaining pressure against said stone reningelement.

EDMUND P. ARPIN, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,380,146 Hiller May 3l, 19211,618,826 Hiller Feb. 22, 1927 1,651,372 Carline Dec. 6, 1927

